How Wise Leaders Keep Their Team Engaged

We know that people who care about their work are more productive, recruit other great people, stay with the company longer, and speak positively about their experience with the company. Yet, few leaders have mastered the skills necessary to keep their team engaged and contributing to their capability.

Why is that?

Why is it that a full 87% of the global workforce is either just showing up, or showing up and do harm to your organization and reputation? Why aren’t more leaders cracking the code to long-term engagement?

Time.

With just 3% of a leader’s time devoted to strategizing for the future and engaging others in reaching a clearly defined goal, it’s no wonder companies struggle with engagement, retention, collaboration and innovation.

Just as star athletes devote large chunks of time to improving because they know what success looks like, talented and driven team members tend to flock to companies and leaders who clearly define success, celebrate and then push the reset button.

That’s the key—pushing the reset button.

One leader I spoke with after a speech I delivered on this very topic shared the following:

“Misti, I was able to get a team of several hundred people fully engaged not long after I took over a billion dollar business that was tanking quickly.

With a clear focus on turning the company around, nearly everyone stepped up to the plate, showing up early, coming up with ideas together and putting forth every bit of energy they had to make this happen.

And then it did—we turned the company around.

A couple of months after we reached our goal, their contribution, energy and enthusiasm tanked. In fact, several of my key executives left for another opportunity.”

With a full focus on surviving, most people stepped up. And then they did it, and forgot to push the reset button.